Small independent landlords are the backbone of unsubsidized affordable housing in Los Angeles, owning 76% of unsubsidized below-market rental housing in the county. Despite this outsized role, they've historically received little targeted help navigating financial hardship, property maintenance, and tenant relations.
The Local Rental Owners Collaborative (LROC) launched in 2021 with a clear purpose: help small property owners in South Los Angeles stay financially stable so their long-term residents can stay housed. What began as an emergency response to the pandemic has evolved into a replicable preservation model that centers the needs of small property owners.
Through a groundbreaking partnership between Enterprise Community Partners, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, LROC helped 52 owners stabilize 69 properties and nearly 200 rental units, prevented displacement for 288 tenants, and established the foundation for an owner-driven preservation ecosystem.
Preserving Affordability, Strengthening Community: Evaluation of the Local Rental Owners Collaborative Pilot Phase (2021–2026) documents how capital investments and technical assistance delivered in a historically disinvested neighborhood produced measurable outcomes — fewer evictions, reduced foreclosure risk, and a more stable affordable housing stock.
This report offers housing practitioners, policymakers, and funders a detailed look at what works when small landlords are treated as partners in the preservation ecosystem rather than obstacles to it.
Related Resources:
- Owner-Driven Preservation Strategy Playbook: Recommended steps to stand up program based on the LROC pilot rogram in South Los Angeles Playbook
- Supporting Community, Preserving Homes: The Impact of the Local Rental Owners Collaborative: A webinar that dives into the successes and lessons learned of the LROC pilot program.
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